Final update made on December 14, 2012 (no further updates will be made) Establishing the Exchange In December 2012, Governor Rick Scott (R) announced that Florida would not be pursuing efforts to implement a state-based health insurance exchange.1 Governor Scott has been a vocal opponent of federal health reform and the…

The latest partnership poll from The Washington Post and the Kaiser Family Foundation explores attitudes towards Medicare among registered voters in three swing states — Florida, Virginia, and Ohio. While the economy remains the top issue, in each state about four in ten voters say Medicare is an extremely important…

In November 2013, the Foundation invited a group of journalists with a strong focus on health policy and state health reform to participate in a week-long fellowship program focused on how the Affordable Care Act is shaping Florida’s health care environment. The site visits in Miami gave journalists the opportunity…

This state report explains how the ACA expands coverage in Florida, including a breakdown of how many uninsured people are eligible for Medicaid, how many are eligible for financial assistance to help them buy private insurance in the new Marketplace and how many will not receive any financial assistance at all. The report also details, in specific dollar figures, the income levels at which people in Florida are eligible for Medicaid or financial assistance in the Marketplace. For states not expanding Medicaid, the report quantifies how many uninsured people fall into the “coverage gap,” meaning they will be ineligible for financial assistance in the Marketplace or for Medicaid in their state despite having an income below the federal poverty level.

This report is based on based on focus group discussions with parents with moderate incomes enrolled in private coverage (employer sponsored or Marketplace) who had children in public coverage (primarily CHIP) or children with private coverage. This report is based on 14 focus group discussions conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation and John Snow, Inc. in six cities during February and March 2015. Sites included Birmingham, AL, Chicago, IL, Denver, CO, Philadelphia, PA, and Tampa, FL. Each of these states operate separate CHIP programs. An additional 4 focus groups were conducted in Los Angeles, CA (two in English and two in Spanish). The purpose of the groups was to gain insight into what low and middle-income families value in their children’s coverage, their experiences with CHIP and private insurance, and on parents’ perspectives on the future of CHIP. The information gathered can help inform policy questions such as would private coverage (either employer sponsored coverage or Marketplace) or Medicaid work for children who currently are enrolled in CHIP?

This brief presents findings from focus groups with low-income Medicaid and Marketplace enrollees in six cities: Baltimore, MD; Columbus, OH; Oakland, CA; Richmond, VA; St. Louis, MO; and Tampa, FL. It explores their experiences signing up for coverage; their perceptions of whether the costs they pay for their coverage are affordable; their experiences accessing care; and the impact of out-of-pocket costs on their ability to get needed care. It provides insights into the ongoing financial struggles facing low-income individuals and the problems they confront affording health coverage.

This brief provides key data on the South and the current status of health and health coverage in the South to provide greater insight into the health needs in the region and the potential coverage gains that may be achieved through the ACA. It includes data on the uninsured, Medicaid expansion and eligibility for coverage.